| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by |  | | POUNDING THE PAVEMENT…OR THE SAND? Stop me if you've heard this before: It is a big week for infrastructure talks. But it is nearing that do-or-die moment now that we are in appropriations season and have multiple recesses on the horizon and some key voices weighed in on the Sunday shows, highlighting the ticking time bomb on infrastructure. One big hang-up: Pay-fors, including the gas tax, which the White House fiercely came out against last week. But Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) — the top Democrat and Republican on the House Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC), respectively — told CNN yesterday that they have hope a bipartisan proposal can get passed, even if it means some of their colleagues peel off or aren't totally in love with it. Fitzpatrick argued it doesn't have to be a perfect bill, with a description similar to how I sell my cooking skills: "Nobody will be totally in love with the plan, but people will be able to swallow it down." As for pay-fors, he argued, all possibilities to pay for the package should be considered, including a gas tax. So this will need to be ironed out. Speaking of, the PSC talked Friday morning about infrastructure. And they are still in conversations about potentially endorsing the plan. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had a more blunt message for President Joe Biden: "President Biden, if you want an infrastructure deal of a trillion dollars, it's there for the taking. You just need to get involved and lead," he said on "FOX News Sunday." "I think the difference between this negotiation and the earlier negotiation is we're willing to add more money to infrastructure in this package. And I am hopeful that if the White House and Joe Biden stay involved, we can get there." These remarks come as Senate Democrats are considering pushing a $6 trillion infrastructure-and-other package through the reconciliation process if the bipartisan talks in the Senate flop. Key questions your Huddle host has: Is this tough red-line rhetoric from liberals a negotiating tactic or a serious pledge that progressives will sink the bipartisan proposal if key priorities of theirs are not included? Will Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) support reconciliation passage of a second package? Finally, will the support — or lack thereof — from progressives on the first bill impact Manchin and Co.'s position on reconciliation? Related: Risks and rewards: The summer that could define the Biden presidency, by WaPo's Dan Balz: https://wapo.st/3cTrns0 | Bipartisan infrastructure talks collide with Democrats' goal to tax the rich, by NYT's Jonathan Weisman: https://nyti.ms/3qdGL7U | | | | DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-24. | | | | | BUDD'ING CRITICISM: Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) may have received Donald Trump's endorsement in the high-stakes North Carolina Senate race, but the state's retiring Republican senator and the other candidates running for the seat are scratching their heads as to why the former president would insert himself in an open primary in a battleground race. Just to hammer how critical this race is: The race for the Senate spot of the retiring Richard Burr is seen as one of Dems' best chances to pick up a seat next year. Republicans, just one seat away from snagging back the Senate majority, are similarly super motivated to keep it. Burr isn't mincing words, telling Burgess that former N.C. GOP governor Pat McCrory is "the only one that can win the general election," while expressing confusion about Trump's endorsement. "I can't tell you what motivates him," Burr said of Trump. "I've never seen individuals endorse a candidate a year before the primary. That's unusual." Key takeaways: -Budd will likely have to work to share the news about Trump's endorsement. The ex-president no longer has his Twitter megaphone or 24/7 news cycle coverage. As one GOP senator summed it up: "Without Trump as president, without Trump on social media there might be a lot of Republican voters who might be influenced by it that don't know about it yet." -The gloves came off. Everyone was going after each other. McCrory and former Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) aren't shy about their frustration over Trump throwing his support behind Budd. Walker suggested the situation could mirror the GOP debacle in the 2017 Alabama Senate race, where Democrat Doug Jones prevailed over the beleaguered and Trump-backed Roy Moore. Walker also thinks Trump is going to go after McCrory. -Walker also went after former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, claiming he gave Trump bad counsel to endorse Budd. Juicy story from Burgess, Melanie, and yours truly: https://politi.co/35GC2SQ Campaign Related: Trump endorses Murkowski challenger, by our James Arkin: https://politi.co/3iXc8Sy | Iowa poll shows drop in support for Grassley, by our David Cohen: https://politi.co/3cSFUDZ ON TAP THIS WEEK: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is expected to force a vote on whether to move forward with debate on S.R. 1 tomorrow, bringing to a head a legislative drama that has been unfolding for months. With no GOP support, Democrats don't have the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster, which Manchin and Sinema have vowed to keep intact. So frustration over this bill -- a key part of the Dem agenda -- has been fomenting. Now, Schumer appears to want to put people on the record opposing or supporting it. Manchin is trying to cobble together a compromise after publicly stating that he opposes the legislation unless a series of changes are made. The West Virginia moderate put forward proposed changes last week that earned the endorsement of Georgia voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has already pooh-poohed it. This legislation could act as the vehicle for Manchin's proposed changes, which could be added as a substitute amendment. The vote will put the spotlight back on the filibuster. I.E. Fix Our Senate is rolling out a new, seven figure ad campaign today as it seeks to pressure Senate Democrats to "secure our democracy in this century … not defend the abused filibuster of the past." The campaign, which will feature ads like this one, is set to run in states targeting certain Dem senators, starting in Delaware and Rhode Island before expanding in the coming weeks. Related: How Democrats are 'unilaterally disarming' in the redistricting wars, by our Ally Mutnick: https://politi.co/35MwUwd | Joe Manchin, at the apex of his power, finds few allies in his quest for bipartisanship, WaPo's Annie Linskey and Mike DeBonis report from Fairmont, W.Va.: https://wapo.st/2SS41ft | Voters supported progressive policies on ballot initiatives. Republicans are pushing back, by NBC's Phil McCausland: https://nbcnews.to/3zFzRMZ ALSO: The House Appropriations Committee is slated to begin marking up its fiscal 2022 budget this week. | | A message from Comcast: In the next 10 years, Comcast is committing $1 billion to reach 50 million people from low-income families with the tools and resources they need to succeed in a digital world.
We'll do this by connecting people to low-cost $10 Internet at home, equipping community centers with free WiFi and working with thousands of nonprofit community organizations, city leaders, and business partners to create new opportunities, particularly in media, arts, technology, and entrepreneurship. Learn more. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, June 21, where your Huddle host is good at making friends with ploys like this. THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Delaware.com's story on the death of Sen. Tom Carper's 'Silver Bullet' was the big winner. FIRST IN HUDDLE: There has been quite a bit of top staff turnover on the Democratic side of the House Intelligence Committee this year. Here are staffers who have left: Tim Bergreen, majority staff director; Carly Blake, deputy staff director; Will Wu, majority budget director; Maher Bitar, Dem general counsel; Raffaela Wakeman, subcommittee staff director/counsel; and Conrad Stosz, professional staff member. Lucian Sikorskyj, subcommittee staff director, is expected to leave soon, if he hasn't already, your Huddle host has heard. A spokesperson attributed the turnover to their talent with "specialized experience" being poached by the new administration or moving on to the private sector: "We have had staffers leave for senior positions in the [National Security Committee], [Department of Defense], [Department of Homeland Security], and elsewhere, and have seen others pursue exciting opportunities in the private sector after decades in public service." They have also promoted or added a lot of staffers on the panel, including: -Jeff Lowenstein, who formerly served as House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff's chief of staff in his personal office, is now serving as majority staff director. Patrick Boland, who served as Schiff's comms director, is now chief of staff to the California Democrat in his personal office. Lauren French took over as comms director after formerly working for the Democratic Caucus. -Aaron Thurman was promoted to Deputy Staff Director after previously serving as a Subcommittee Staff Director. -Wells Bennett was also promoted to General Counsel after previously serving as Deputy General Counsel. And Nicolas Mitchell is the new Deputy General Counsel after previously serving as Senior Counsel. -Recent promotions also include Kathy Suber as Budget Director, Amanda Rogers Thorpe as Subcommittee Staff Director for Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support; Thomas Eager as Subcommittee Staff Director for Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Subcommittee. Recent additions include David Cruz-Glaudemans, who joined as Subcommittee Staff Director and NSA monitor after coming from OMB; Sarah Istel as Counsel after previously working as the Deputy to the Lead Impeachment Counsel for during the second Trump impeachment; three additional professional staff members covering the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office have also been hired. "Chairman Schiff has benefited from a talented team of public servants on the Intelligence Committee staff, and he has welcomed a number of new members to the team recently. He is deeply appreciative to those staffers who served the committee with distinction and is thrilled to watch them succeed in their careers," French told me. Related: How the Justice Department swept up records of two congressional Democrats and Trump's lawyer , CNN reports: https://cnn.it/3gOOlD3 Key new detail: "The subpoena that swept up the records of two Democratic congressmen [Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.)], their staff and family members in 2018 appears to have been the result of a leak investigation that initially included scrutinizing a senior aide on the House Intelligence Committee, and not the lawmakers themselves, sources told CNN. … [Don] McGahn's records appear to have been swept up in a separate investigation by federal investigators in a similar manner to Schiff's and Swalwell's, according to a source familiar with the matter." | | | | TUNE IN TO DISPATCH+ ON APPLE PODCASTS : POLITICO Dispatch, our daily podcast that cuts through the news clutter and keeps you up to speed on the most important developments of the moment, is expanding. In collaboration with the new Apple Podcasts Subscription platform, Dispatch+ launches this week! This new podcast gives premium Dispatch+ subscribers exclusive bonus weekly reporting and analysis from POLITICO's newsroom. Don't miss out, subscribe and listen to Dispatch+ on Apple Podcasts. | | | | | THE GUN FIGHT: Senate Democrats are looking to have a vote on a scaled-down guns bill, in what appears to be an effort to avoid the political quicksand that has befallen the struggle for unity on Democrats' infrastructure and elections bills. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) says he wants the legislation to cover "any stranger-to-stranger sale." This would mean purchases from sites like Craigslist or gun shows, which are not covered under existing law, rather than universal background checks. Only sales from licensed dealers, importers and manufacturers are required under law to undergo a background check. If the legislation fails, as expected, Democrats hope to be able to project a show of force: A united front on gun control. Per Nick: "The goal is to unite the party and pick up a limited number of Republican votes, even as their effort appears headed towards the same doomed fate as previous proposals to curb gun violence. Despite the all-but-certain GOP filibuster facing Democrats on guns, they're well aware that a unified 50-vote Senate majority is the only way to put unmitigated political pressure on their opponents." More here from Nick: https://politi.co/3vGNHeY Related: The push for LGBTQ civil rights stalls in the Senate as advocates search for Republican support, by WaPo's Mike DeBonis: https://wapo.st/3xAab2v | As pandemic subsides, businesses push Congress for one more bailout, our Zachary Warmbrodt reports: https://politi.co/3zF92IS CHENEY'S CHALLENGERS: The field of Republican candidates challenging Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is starting to form. "[S]ix candidates onstage didn't just castigate Cheney for calling out Trump's unfounded claims about the election he lost, or just enthusiastically embrace those claims themselves. They bragged about being in Washington for the Jan. 6 riot. They endorsed nationwide audits of the 2020 election … and they flirted with leading threads of the QAnon conspiracy theory," The Daily Beast's Sam Brodey reports. "Wyoming's GOP congressional hopefuls run the full gamut of experience, poise, and polish. Some are total newcomers who've never held or campaigned for office. Some are state lawmakers and party officials. But all are exactly the same when it comes to the most important qualification in today's Republican Party: unswerving personal devotion to Trump." More here from Sam: https://bit.ly/2UhnYwt Related: Liz Cheney's unlikely journey from G.O.P. royalty to Republican outcast, by NYT's Mark Leibovich: https://nyti.ms/3wJVxWq QUICK CLICKS: "Ron Johnson made an appearance at Milwaukee's Juneteenth Day celebration. It didn't go well," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Talis Shelbourne reports: https://bit.ly/3gFdwrt | Katie Hill cites duality in sex-scandal outcomes, by Axios' Alayna Treene: https://bit.ly/35ColUQ | | | |   | | | ICYMI -GOP divided over bills targeting tech giants, by The Hill's Rebecca Klar: https://bit.ly/3wKhlkN -NYT'S Shane Goldmacher tweeted: "The DNC and RNC have never been so well funded so early in a cycle —> RNC: $78.8 million cash on hand *after* transferring $5 million each to NRSC and NRCC; no debts. DNC: $59.8 million cash on hand; $700k debts." TRANSITIONS Tom Bush is now senior director for government relations at Airbus. He previously was legislative director for Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). Usamah Andrabi will be candidate comms manager at Justice Democrats. He previously was comms director for Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.). Claire Waggoner is now press assistant for Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.). She previously was a staff assistant for Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.). Justin Weiss will be deputy press secretary at NASA. He previously was comms director for Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) James Huddleston is joining the FAA as a senior adviser in the Aviation Safety Office. He previously was legislative director for Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). TODAY IN CONGRESS The House will meet at 9 a.m. for a pro forma session. The Senate meets at 3 p.m. AROUND THE HILL The Senate will take up Christopher Fonzone's nomination to be general counsel of the Office of the DNI, with a vote to invoke cloture expected at 5:30 p.m. TRIVIA THURSDAY'S WINNER: Connor Kurtz was the first person to correctly guess that three U.S. presidents have served on the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. TODAY'S QUESTION: From Connor: Which state has the ignominious distinction of never having sent a woman to Congress? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to obeavers@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter @Olivia_Beavers | | A message from Comcast: Over the last decade, Comcast's groundbreaking Internet Essentials program has connected more than 10 million people from low-income families to high-speed Internet at home for less than $10 a month.
Now, Comcast is committing $1 billion over the next 10 years to reach 50 million people with the tools and resources they need to succeed in a digital world. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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